Big Year 2017

Monday, 4 February 2013

January in Review

The first month of the birding challenge was good, as
expected. I was able to post ten (10)
photographs, my year count stands at 42 species with three new species added to
my life count.

The Photo
of the Month

My photo of the month was chosen from some shots which I took of a group of shorebirds
at Inch Marlow in the southern parish of Christ Church. This group of shorebirds was made-up of
SemipalmatedPlovers “Charadrius semipalmatus”, Sanderlings “Calidris alda” and Ruddy Turnstones “Arenaria interpres”. They were very
cooperative allowing me to get very close and to get some good shots. To me though, the best photograph was that of three (3) Semipalmated Plovers on a wall.
This is my Photo of the Month.

Extreme Birding Event
of the Month

After standing for days, weeks then months on the cliff
looking over Chancery Lane Swamp and havinga bird’s eye view of Egrets,
Yellowlegs and Teals below, I decided to climb down to get closer to our bird
friends. I found what looked like an
easy way down a rock about 8 to 10 feet down and it was quite easy but climbing
back out was a bit harder. After walking head first into a low lying branch I
managed to climb up with a bad headache but it was fun. Let’s hope we don’t have this every month I
don’t think my wife will like it.

Photo from the cliff at Chancery Lane

Greater Yellowlegs at eye level

Greater Yellowlegs

Egrets and Blue Winged Teals @ base of cliff

Blue Winged Teals

Blue Winged Teals

My Bird of the month

My bird of the month is a bird I have not mentioned on this
blog before but one I followed and continued to observe with great interest.As yet I’m not sure if it a Lesser Antilles
Bullfinch (LAB) “Loxigilla violacea” or a Hybrid of the LAB and the Barbados
Bullfinch “Loxigilla barbadensis”.
I first saw this bird late last year, and
sought the help on noted experts on the island for confirmation on its ID. It is an ongoing saga and I’ll keep you guys
up to date on the Case of the Bird with no Identity. LOL Sherlock Holmes on the case. What do you think it is?

Update: DNA testing show this bird to be a Hybrid of the Barbados and Lesser Antillean Bullfinch